


sometimes

by gudetama (elementary)



Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Established Relationship, Fluff, I'm Bad At Summaries, Long-Distance Relationship, M/M, vague details, very vague
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-20
Updated: 2019-11-20
Packaged: 2021-02-13 16:22:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,155
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21497029
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elementary/pseuds/gudetama
Summary: Snapshot moments of Newt and Percival's long-distance relationship
Relationships: Original Percival Graves/Newt Scamander
Comments: 4
Kudos: 170





	sometimes

**Author's Note:**

  * For [sssilkworms](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=sssilkworms).

> A _very_ belated birthday fic for [silks](https://twitter.com/275boxes) who has been a consistent pillar of the Gramander fandom and deserves all the best with everything.
> 
> The prompt was: Modern au of graves and newt carrying on a long distance relationship - sometimes successfully, sometimes unsuccessfully
> 
> I can't say this didn't turn out like I expected because I wasn't sure what I expected LOL but definitely didn't expect this much. This is basically a series of drabbles at random moments of their relationship. Also didn't quite get the 'unsuccessful' part right, so if it feels unbalanced, that's because it is...........
> 
> Anyway, hope your birthday was as wonderful as you!

1 –

_“So yes, salamanders, gorgeous creatures,”_ Newt ends.

“What creature do you not find gorgeous, exactly?” Percival asks, rhetorical of course.

There’s a pause from the other side, then utterly seriously, _“I’ll need some time to think about that.”_

“Newt, I’m kidding,” Percival laughs.

_“It’s a good question,”_ Newt argues. _“Anyway, you should give them a try. I know someone who—”_

“No, thank you.”

_“Think about it, and I’m not kidding. But enough about that, how was your day? Or work, they’re practically interchangeable.”_

And Percival can’t argue with that; supervising a large team in a larger corporation means endless troubles and troubleshooting. He hesitates, because it’s always the same story—highly mundane compared to the constant excitement in Newt's animalistic(?) life—and soon Newt won’t need to be asking the question to know.

The silence on Newt's end is a patient one.

“Same old,” Percival starts and then it devolves from there.

He never thought himself one to vent aloud but somehow conversing over the phone with someone who not only isn’t around to witness this mess but encourages him feels...

Is this therapy?

“They’re just very...” Percival doesn’t even bother finishing.

_“People,”_ Newt agrees solemnly. _“Pets are better, I tell you, lovely companions.”_

“But I already have you.”

Another silence, but it’s distinctly different from the previous one.

_“I—wow, my god, how do you do that—you just—”_ he hears Newt's flustered voice. _“I don’t count.”_

The last part is a squeak, and Percival can imagine the redness of Newt's face right now, making him smile. He picks up the wine glass that was left forgotten on the table and takes a sip; it’s not as bitter anymore.

“Why not,” he teases, and waits for Newt's reply.

2 –

After Percival gets over the initial shock of finding Newt where he isn’t supposed to be—Reykjavik instead of London on his way back from Vietnam—he moves onto the next stage of nagging. With his glasses on (Newt caught him working) it suits him all the more, looking like a professor Newt could have had a crush on.

Well, he wouldn’t have listened then either, probably.

_“Jesus, Newt. What time is it there?”_

“A reasonable time,” Newt answers.

Of course, Percival gives him a sceptical look before disappearing from the screen. He comes back with an impressive frown.

_“It’s three in the morning.”_

Newt smiles innocently. “Like I said, reasonable. Are you ready?”

He turns the phone away and faces it up at the sky. Bright colours spill into the sky of Iceland, brushed onto a wide, dark canvas and illuminating it magnificently. It’s more than worth the few days he spent standing and waiting in the freezing cold hoping for it to show.

They’re both quiet for some time until Newt adjusts the camera angle so he’d be in view, too.

_“It’s beautiful,”_ Percival says, voice soft, looking directly at Newt.

Suddenly Newt finds it hard to swallow, wraps his face up with muffler he bought here. His breathing steams up the inside. _I wish you were here_, he doesn’t say, wanting to hold Percival's hand and taste that smile and see the wonder in his eyes up close.

“Aren’t you glad I made the trip? And risk becoming an ice lolly. A tour guide of high calibre, I’d say,” Newt says through the muffler.

_“How much will this cost me?”_

Newt shrugs, playing along, then turns to watch the sky again. “That’ll depend on how the rest of this goes. I did use a lot of data for this detour.”

_“Send me your bill, and we’ll use mine next time.”_

Newt laughs at the first part, and tries not to hope for the second.

3 –

_“You promised.”_

Though the words are calmly delivered, Newt's tone is upset, as he should be. A work emergency disrupted their plans to meet and with how long it will take, Newt will be out of the country before Percival can visit.

“I know, but this really is unavoidable,” Percival sighs, fingers rubbing at his eyes before going back to the keyboard. “I’m sorry.”

_“And you're still recovering, too; they should let you—”_

“Newt,” Percival interrupts, “they will, after this is done.”

_“This isn’t fair, you’ll fall sick again.”_

Percival’s jaw tenses in irritation, tapping ‘backspace’ to erase a typo. “Then I’ll get better again.”

_“Right,”_ Newt says, disbelieving. _“Of course, it doesn’t matter if you’re ill because it’ll pass anyway.”_

The sarcasm in Newt’s voice is ugly, unfitting, and it grates on Percival’s ear.

“It isn’t as if you can do anything from where you are,” Percival snaps, and then immediately regrets his words. “Newt, that wasn’t—”

Newt’s shaky exhale stops him. _“I must be keeping you, sorry.”_

The line disconnects, and Percival thinks of how Newt last sounded—timid, anxious, _wary_. Not since their initial acquaintance has he heard him like that. After briefly contemplating sending a message, Percival puts the phone down; Newt might not want to see anything from him right now, and he’d rather apologize verbally.

Then, it’s all he can do to put the matter from his mind and focus on work.

4 –

Newt isn’t lying when he says he has someone.

The question gets asked every once in a while by fellow researchers and colleagues, and some of them don’t quite believe him. And it isn’t that he has any proof, but well, Newt’s boyfriend is rather attractive and he doesn’t like showing off. He’s also overseas.

When they do find out who it is, they don’t say anything but he’s certain they’re curious about his relationship in a ‘that man and _you_?’ kind of way.

It’s obvious that Percival receives questions pertaining to a relationship even more than him, and he even says as much. How could he not with his looks and charisma and competence? More importantly, a conspicuously absent lover from his side.

But Newt’s boyfriend is also a most sincere and loving person. Percival only assures him of it every conversation and visit, watching Newt (whether in person or through a screen) like he honestly matters.

So, they can have their questions and doubts; Newt worries not.

At least, he tries not to.

5 –

Though it’s cheating a bit, Percival simply glances out the window at Newt’s request. There are dots of light shining in the dark, but those are the many buildings in the city of New York rather than the stars Newt speaks of.

“Looks the same as always.”

_“I didn’t even hear you move.”_

Percival laughs. “Regardless, I’m sure whatever sky above you is a nicer view than this one.”

_“We’re under the same sky, Percy,”_ Newt says, slightly muffled by whatever noise is in the background.

“That was unexpectedly romantic of you,” Percival says with a smile.

_“I mean it, though!”_

“Well, it’s technically true.”

_“Come on, Percy, go outside and see,”_ Newt whines.

He’s quite comfortable here molding himself into the couch. It’s nine-thirty at night and the air outside is chilly. Still, Percival gets up to put on a coat, because they did this a couple times and there’s no denying the connection he feels thinking of Newt witnessing the same sight from elsewhere.

After locking the door, Percival warns Newt of signal loss when he goes into the elevator and says he’ll call back.

When the elevator opens again on the ground floor, Newt’s standing there.

“Told you,” Newt says, a cheeky smile on his face.

Percival stares, more than a little shocked. “I thought you said next week.”

“I lost track of time.”

“That isn’t how it works, Newt,” Percival shakes his head, but he’s smiling, too.

He takes the hand offered to him.

“Alright, then, let’s go see the stars,” Newt says excitedly.

(“Why didn’t you come up?”

“Because you would’ve just gone back inside.”

“And yet here we are because I need my wallet. By the way, where’s your luggage?”

“I lost track of that, too.”

“Oh my god, Newt.”)

6 –

When Percival wakes on a Tuesday, he’s alone. There’s no answer as he groggily calls for a missing someone, rubbing at sleep-blurred eyes. Reluctant to move, he tries to listen for any kind of noise but jolts awake when there is none, not from the ensuite or outside the door. Percival pushes himself up while simultaneously grabbing his phone, then pauses at paper crumpling in his hand.

He rubs his eyes harder and reads the note, then makes a call. Someone picks up.

“Newt, what’s going on?” he demands.

Dumbfounded, he listens to his boyfriend—who apparently slipped out before Percival's alarm rang—explain why he’s leaving the country earlier than expected. Something twists uncomfortably in his chest, and Percival scrubs a hand down his face. He feels tired all of a sudden, attention divided between responding reasonably and the prickle of stubble against his fingers.

_“—know, I know, but it was an emergency and I didn’t want to wake you even earlier when you still have work.”_

Newt’s voice rings apologetically in his ears and any other time that would’ve been enough, but today the disappointment lingers a little heavily. Waking earlier isn’t the problem, but Newt seems to have missed the point.

_“Percival?”_

Holding back a sigh, Percival nods to the empty space on the bed next to him. “I understand. Have a safe flight and call me when you land.”

_“Thank you,”_ Newt replies. _“You be good and take care of yourself.”_

It makes him snort. “Pot, kettle.”

_“I’m always good,”_ comes the indignant huff. _“I’m boarding soon, love you.”_

Even muttering those words back, Percival can’t help compare to how it would have been saying them in person, seeing Newt off at the airport with a kiss. Their conversation ends and Percival drops back onto the bed and lays his hand across the other cold pillow.

Two weeks, but it may as well have been two days with how quickly the days passed.

With this morning’s plans changed, Percival goes about his usual routine, the condo quiet in the absence of a morning person making a racket. No one in the kitchen attempting his latest food experiment or getting caught having stayed up all night watching animal documentaries on Netflix.

It’s an old man's foolish sentiment, he supposes; not a good sign of his aging, certainly.

Or really, it’s because he hasn’t had coffee yet and he’s simply dreading the long day ahead; that sounds about right.

7 –

Newt almost ignores the doorbell trying to wake him at bloody eight o’clock in the morning. Normally he’s an early riser but he had spent the night meeting the demands of a deadline for his book and only just returned from walking Pickett, who’s now barking excitedly. He deserves sleep.

But the unwanted visitor is insistent, and with a groan he rolls out of bed. The short walk to the entrance is immensely long in his exhaustion and Newt barely gets Pickett out of the way as he opens the door.

“Still lacking in self-preservation as ever, I see.”

Eyes as wide as they can possibly be, Newt stares at the illusion of his boyfriend. Blinking doesn’t make it go away, either.

“I’m too tired for this,” Newt mutters.

“That’s a shame.”

Newt shakes his head, incredulous. “My god, you’re really here, Percy.”

With a handsome smile, Percival waves. “Surprise. Hello, Newt. And you, too, Pickett.”

Even spluttering questions in his confusion, Newt lets the man and his luggage inside.

“How? On a plane, of course,” Percival replies as smoothly as taking off his coat.

“I could’ve been anywhere! Not here!”

“Right, because nearly breaking down over the phone about your deadline and saying you were chaining yourself to the desk wasn’t indication enough,” Percival points out. “Also, your brother confirmed it.”

“Oh, you sneaky little—not little, sorry,” Newt quickly says, blinks again. “I can’t believe this.”

Percival raises a brow at him, but then he smiles softly. “Happy birthday, Newt.”

It takes a moment for Newt to process that. God, today’s his actual birthday, isn’t it, and his boyfriend is congratulating him in person. Flew over from another continent to do so. Affection rushes through him and his hands come up to hold Percival’s face, leaning down to kiss the man. It’s effectively ruined by his own smiling but then Percival tilts into it and their mouths fit better. It’s just the right pressure and warmth, a lovely sensation as they exchange greetings through this.

Did he say unwanted visitor? That must have been someone else.

Newt refuses to go back to bed but Percival’s concern is difficult to argue against, so they compromise with the sofa. Percival’s thigh is firm under his head and the man runs his fingers through his hair. The surrounding warmth and smell of familiar cologne encourage his eyes to close.

“What are we doing today?” he thinks he asks, but doesn’t hear Percival’s answer.


End file.
